13:30 BALLYMORE NOVICES’ HURDLE
Dare I say that Gordon Elliott’s runners haven’t been firing
as well as expected this month (yet) which makes Samco far too short in my opinion. Next
Destination has been staying on well in his finishes and can do better than many
expect under King of Cheltenham Ruby Walsh who can out-think any jockey lining
up here (especially one who has never placed here before) so I'm going to take a chance on him turning over the short favourite
Vision
Des Flo’s wind op made a massive difference and he won impressively enough at
Exeter on heavy going last time to have me believe there's more to come
BALLYMORE NOVICES’ HURDLE
|
WIN
|
Next Destination
|
Each Way
|
Vision Des Flos
|
14:10 RSA NOVICES’ CHASE
Presenting Percy is an out and out stayer which is going to help
if the ground is as holding as yesterday.
He came within a length of Gold Cup hope and Irish National winner Our
Duke when last out so holds top credentials.
Ballyoptic
is better than his results to date suggest and a little more luck this time should
see him outrun his odds
RSA NOVICES’ CHASE
|
WIN
|
Presenting Percy
|
Each Way
|
Ballyoptic
|
14:50 CORAL CUP HURDLE
Burbank is spoken of as a good ground horse yet wasn’t
disgraced in a G3 hurdle at Ascot on soft and looks as if the hill might see
him picking them off at the end
The
Organist qualified for the Pertemps final but has come here instead so
(knowledgeable) connections may be of the mind that he can cope with conditions
at this shorter distance
CORAL CUP HURDLE
|
WIN
|
Burbank
|
Each Way
|
The Organist
|
15:30 QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
Altior had a health scare earlier last week but you can be
sure that Nicky Henderson wouldn’t be running him if he wasn’t 100% fit – he
should be visiting the winners enclosure for the 12th time in a row
and the second year running here, having won the Arkle last year
Min
or Douvan should be following Altior home but if either are below par then Politologue
looks sure to benefit and run into a place
QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION
CHASE
|
WIN
|
Altior
|
Each Way
|
Politologue
|
16:10 GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
The Last Samuri has never been unplaced in 8 runs on soft and
is a class act as long as he copes with this course (trainer Kim Bailey is
confident)
Hurricane
Darwin coped admirably at Punchestown last month on his first X-Country and the
ground today should be a little less testing so a place (or better) is not
beyond him
GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY
CHASE
|
WIN
|
The Last Samuri
|
Each Way
|
Hurricane Darwin
|
16:50 FRED WINTER JUVENILE HURDLE
The King Of May has plenty of improvement left in him yet to
come and a nice low weight. He only
joined Brian Ellison this year (from France) and will come on for last month’s
run
Turning
Gold is a game battler and the stable is peaking at the right time but he does
like to front run and won’t find it easy in such a large field this time -still
he should be good enough to hold on for a place
FRED WINTER JUVENILE
HURDLE
|
WIN
|
The King Of May
|
Each Way
|
Turning Gold
|
17:30 CHAMPION BUMPER
Carefully Selected with Ruby up will be able to grind this
out from the front in the conditions
Mercy
Mercy Me is another grinder and likely to be picking them off up the hill
CHAMPION BUMPER
|
WIN
|
Carefully Selected
|
Each Way
|
Mercy Mercy Me
|
